Kidney Disease

Question:

“I have a kitty dealing with renal challenges (Sandy Paws). I have had her
successfully on Sub Qs (every 4 days) and a great Omega oil. Please render
any other recommendations you may have...she is 10 or 11 years old, and just
holds at about 7.1 pounds.”

Answer:
More than ever, it seems, many pets are suffering from kidney (renal) damage and
failure. This is partly due to last year’s pet food recall that harmed so many
pets (whose kidneys will never fully recover) but kidney disease was already
common, especially in older cats.

In cats, kidney disease develops for two main reasons:
1. Being fed only or mosty dry food, which is extremely dehydrating and puts a
great burden on their kidneys. Even though you’ll see these cats drinking water,
they make up only half the intake a cat eating a canned, raw or homemade diet
would take in.
2. Receiving unnecessary booster vaccines for feline distemper (panleukopenia).
The virus in this vaccine is commonly grown in a culture of feline kidney cells.
When the vaccine is injected, kidney proteins from the culture fluid cause
antibodies to form against them; these antibodies cross-react with the cat’s own
kidneys and sets up a low-grade chronic inflammation. Every repeated booster
worsens this inflammation, eventually leading to cell destruction, scarring, and
ultimately kidney failure.

The same potential problems apply to canine vaccines. All vaccines are grown in
some type of cell culture; canine, feline and calf cell cultures are commonly
used. One study showed that every vaccinated puppy produced antibodies that
cross-reacted with its own tissues, including red blood cells and connective
tissue such as collagen.

Low-protein diets are commonly prescribed for kidney failure. The real reason
for this is because meat is high in phosphorus, and it is phosphorus that is the
problem (it combines with calcium and further damages the kidneys). However the
scientific support for this treatment is much stronger for dogs than for cats.
It is also important to remember that high protein diets do not cause kidney
disease.

The quality of the food is also extremely important. Most “prescription” and
“veterinary” pet foods are made from very poor quality ingredients: by-products,
grains, and meat substitutes. Since these animals already have health issues, it
makes more sense to feed them the very best natural ingredients. Most
high-quality commercial foods have fairly high levels of protein, so a home-made
diet may be your best option. Here’s a couple of sample recipes:

Certainly, getting these animals off dry food is a crucial component because
it’s vital to keep these pets well-hydrated. Giving subcutaneous (“sub-Q”)
fluids at home is also a great help with hydration issues, and can offset some
of the negative effects of higher protein.

Several supplements are proven to be helpful in renal disease. Omega-3 fatty
acids are very important. It should from wild fish (not farmed salmon) and
contain mostly or only Omega-3s. Omega-6s promote inflammation, which is of
course not what you want. Antioxidants will also help manage and decrease
inflammation.
Omega-3-Fish-Oil

Recent research suggests that adding extra probiotics to the diet helps with
protein metabolism and minimizes the metabolic by-products of protein digestion
(blood urea nitrogen or BUN, and creatinine) that would otherwise enter the
blood and cause toxicity. Digestive enzymes are also beneficial because they
break down proteins earlier in the digestive process.
Probiotics

Preventing kidney failure is a whole lot easier than treating it, so if you
have young, healthy pets in your home as well, make sure they are on an
excellent natural diet (canned, raw, or homemade); appropriae supplements
including probiotics, antioxidants, digestive enzymes, and Omega-3 fatty acids;
and minimize vaccines.

The articles and information in the Holistic Healthcare Library are presented for
informational purposes only and are not intended as an endorsement of any product.
The information is not intended to be a substitute for visits to your local veterinarian.
Instead, the content offers the reader information and opinions written by our staff,
guest authors, and/or veterinarians concerning animal health issues and animal care
products.

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